The soft drizzle of rain pounded against the glass of the greenhouse once more as Sans, with a sore back and hunched expression, settled Bean onto the counter of the old kitchen corner. She babbled on, as usual, giving Sans a wide and happy stare. Ignorant of her surroundings or the situation at hand.

Sans was now somewhat debating making a run for it. Helen didn't seem to react very fondly to finding out Sans was involved with other CreepyPasta. That might spell out a bad outcome if he reacted terribly. And he didn't want to find that out.

"Baba." Little Bean reached out. "Bah."

"Yes, of course," Sans said as if she said something very intellectual.

"Bah."

"Yep."

He pulled down another can of food. Laughing Jack opened cans so easily. With his claws, he would just tear through the tops with his bare hands. Super convenient and useful.

He was not going to react well to Sans missing, huh? Sans was sure the others could handle themselves as he waited out this situation. He'd prefer not to have his memories erased like the other women that were kidnapped, but hey, if it meant he got out of this without any harm he was completely fine with that. The women didn't have any bruises and seemed in good condition when they were found in areas meant for them to quickly find their way back home.

Except, now things might not be as hopeful as previously stated. Because Helen did not react well to hearing the news that Sans was fucking serial killers. Was it jealousy? He didn't seem attracted to Sans. CreepyPasta seemed very straightforward with their confessions. Both Jane and Jack gave it to Sans rather instantly. But Helen didn't seem interested. They talked for a bit, the info was revealed, and he ended up bolting.

Sans might have to make a break for it if Helen came back unable to handle the news. But he didn't look like he was angry or jealous, instead, he seemed almost freaked -

As if, for example, he just realized he was involved in the kidnapping of the boyfriend of Jane and Laughing Jack. Two notoriously known, strong CreepyPasta who had a rather twisted sense of revenge and weren't ones for kindness or pity.

Sans leaned against the counter, realizing that Helen might very much be fucked if they found out he was a participant. But Helen didn't kidnap him, it was that golden-eyed, grey-skinned Puppeteer that did so without even asking Helen's opinion and going against his wishes. And, if they were good friends (which Helen implied previously), then his friend just signed both of their deaths with that action.

Woah. Sans was someone they should not fuck with. He just realized that. He kind of had a good ass reason to not mess with him. Else they'd suffer the wrath of his found family.

Yeah, they were fucked.

Was Sans going to make a plea for the other guy? He wasn't sure. Helen was a definite yes. He didn't have any involvement in Sans' kidnapping and wanted him to be returned quickly, seeming against the idea of a forced romance. The Puppeteer, however, held a knife to his daughter's throat and kidnapped him. Good intentions, but he would have killed Bean if Sans didn't go. Not exactly someone Sans would want to protect. 'Don't worry Jack, he only would've killed her if I didn't agree to his terms completely!'

Real shitty argument there.

Sans decided, glancing over at Bean, he'd let his boyfriend decide on what to do to the Puppeteer. As long as he didn't get off the hook. Let Sans slap him a few times at the very least. Because fuck him. He held a knife to Bean's neck and fully intended to kill her if Sans didn't comply. No matter how much the guy said he didn't want to do it, that didn't get an off-the-hook excuse.

Laughing Jack wasn't going to like Sans going missing. Or Bean. Out of everyone, this would hit him the hardest. Sans just wanted him here already. But he can't just risk running out, because he would be entirely helpless and lost with little Bean in his hands. And being a small fragile-looking monster, he really shouldn't run out without magic. Humans knew a magic restraint on sight.

Neither decision looked entirely appealing. Staying here longer would make everyone he cared about worried sick while he was idly waiting out the clock. Leaving would risk his safety and Bean's. But staying might risk their safety anyways because of Helen's reaction. But leaving could piss him off more if he was mad.

No, Sans couldn't start a spiral of thoughts. He was trying to stay calm this entire time for Bean. She was his priority. Her safety came first. So he'd stay. Like he decided upon before. And he had to make sure his dates were first on the comforting list.

~~~~~~

After the shout, Helen found himself slowly quieting down. Hands gripping the front of his shirt, staring at his friend whom he both loved with all of his soul and despised at that moment. The Puppeteer stared back, a sorrowful but firm expression grasping at his features.

"I don't get it, why would you...?"

Helen let himself trail off, feeling like vomiting right there and then. This was his fault. He couldn't stop being a useless piece of shit ever since she died and now his only remaining friend by his side threw away his survival likelihood just to get Helen out of the minefield he trapped himself in.

"I know. It's... he has to work, though," Puppeteer spoke so quietly that his voice barely was audible over Helen's quiet, desperate breaths. As if unable to fully support his reasoning behind it. He's been grabbing more people lately, trying desperately to set up Helen with someone who simply wouldn't work. Woman after woman delivered to him with the chance to bond. All turned away because Helen couldn't bond with them, felt bad for them, and couldn't see them past the whisper of his deceased girlfriend that hung within his mind.

Then came that skeleton. An obvious outlier from the others, carrying a baby no older than a year with a sense of unusual confidence in this situation despite his lacking power. No clothes, no magic. But he still talked to Helen, acknowledged him, and was overall a decent person.

And he was dating Laughing Jack.

Someone who would kill another CreepyPasta at a moment's notice.

It's happening again. And he can't stop it, again.

"Please, I can't lose you too, I can't," He had to stop himself from sobbing, barely able to contain his words together. "Please please please -"

"Helen, Helen."

The Puppeteer, like always, was there to comfort Helen. He gently reached out, grasping his hands and bringing them in close. To ground him and let him know that he was still there. Sometimes Helen needed to be grounded.

"It's a... risk -"

"Risk? It's a death sentence," He said, choking on his breath. "You're going to fight him and you're going to lose then you're going to die and -"

"Helen."

Helen paused, sucking in a shaky breath. He wanted to vomit and cry and scream. All at once.

"They're in an open relationship. He's okay with it."

"He... is?" Helen asked, quietly.

The Puppeteer offered a soft, open smile. The type of smile that meant that he was trying to reassure Helen and Helen alone. Helen never saw him give that smile to anyone else.

"You were happy when you were in a relationship. Sans has dated two CreepyPasta and has been successful in helping them. He's living with others as well. Sans is the person to help you when I can't. I can deal with the drama and situation. Don't worry, when I took him I made sure all of the loose ends were tied up. They have no idea it was me and they have no clues as to who did it." His hands squeezed down. Making sure Helen was present and listening. Sometimes he wasn't. Sometimes memories and thoughts spoke louder than Puppeteer.

"Then please, just... send him back. I didn't ask for this, I - this isn't... he has a daughter and he's already happy, right? I'll never be happy because I'm stupid -"

"No, no. Stop that thought right there."

Helen did. Out loud, at least. It persisted inside his mind.

"Please, I know you didn't try with the other girls, but try. With him. I've handled everything else. If he really doesn't work, I'll send him back and we'll move somewhere far away. But try, at least. She would've wanted for you to move on and try."

She would of. She always did mention, if either of them died, to keep going on. But Helen never actually believed it'd happen.

He wanted to go lie down and never wake up. That sounded nice.

"Please?" The Puppeteer repeated.

"I..." The pleading look on his friend's face made Helen feel shittier than before. He was putting in all of this work and Helen couldn't even bother to try and help at all. "Okay."

~~~~~

He's fucked.

The Puppeteer leaned against the door after he sent Helen off to go try that skeleton again, chewing on a fingernail after he spat out basic nonsense. For months he's been working on trying to help Helen get over the death of his girlfriend. But the Puppeteer had no goddamn experience with helping people grieve. The only thing he could pursue was replacing her. Helen was happy with a date. He'd be happy again with another.

But then he got desperate when none of the people he brought were working. Helen needed to be happy. Every day that passed with no progress made him have even less sleep and less exercise. The hope from his eyes had long since diminished. And that was his friend, damnnit, so he had to keep trying. Kidnap more and more women. Make one of them work. When Helen fell in love, he fell hard. So the Puppeteer needed Helen to fall in love, that's what motivated him before.

Then he heard about Sans. Honestly, the Puppeteer had heard about him before. Thought they were baseless rumors. Jeff and Jane had gone quiet lately, so he just assumed they both silently gave up on their pointless battles. Then that girl he tried to kidnap before mentioned Sans dating Jane.

And he was. He was dating two CreepyPasta. And it was working. Helen couldn't date another CreepyPasta, he was much too fearful they'd end up getting themselves killed like the last date of his did. Sans, though, wasn't a CreepyPasta. No, he was interacting with CreepyPasta, fixing them, making them happier than they ever were. Fuck, Jane and Jeff were somewhat friends when Puppeteer watched them. That man had to be a miracle worker if he could get those two to functionally live together in the same house.

Sans was the key. The Puppeteer knew that when he realized just how much he helped so many serial killers. Sans was the key to helping Helen. He could make him better. Feel happier.

The Puppeteer was entirely lying about sending him back. He didn't intend to. Not when Sans made Laughing Jack of all people able to have a family. Sans was, by all accounts, the only option for Helen. If Helen dated him, or just lived with him, things would be better. And they already were! Sans helped Helen eat a full meal with simple words. Had Helen hold Bean and smile a few times.

Helen needed Sans. Neither of them realized it yet. But this would work. It had to.

He slid down onto the floor, blood dripping from his thoroughly chewed nails now. Laughing fucking Jack. That was the only major problem with this whole operation. Jane was certainly a threat too, but she couldn't teleport and needed sleep and food. Laughing Jack needed none of that. If he did fully care about Sans and loved him, then the Puppeteer just ran a truck over a bear. Didn't just poke it.

He's fucked if Laughing Jack found out it was him. But he was careful. Made sure to grab Sans when there were no electronics around in case that damn kid or dog was around. Used the small teleportation power Slenderman had given him months back for a favor he did so there'd be no traces or trail. Kept no electronics in the greenhouse, either. No peep out of his lips to other CreepyPasta about this.

But he needed to relocate. If Laughing Jack started searching everywhere around their town, they'd find him in a week or two. They'd need to move out further. Preferably out of the country. Maybe overseas if possible. That'd require a lot of teleportation power and they'd have to hide out on a ship somewhere, but the Puppeteer was willing to do many more favors for that. He knew who to ask.